Faucets are generally controlled by either a single handle which utilizes a mixing valve to proportion the flow of hot and cold water to a delivery spout, or dual-handles which utilize two individual valves to control the flow of hot and cold water. The valve bodies which house the respective valves are each typically connected to an upstream waterway through a conventional mechanical connection, such as mating threads. Further, each valve body is typically connected to a downstream waterway by brazing the valve bodies to the downstream waterway. In other examples the valve bodies and the downstream waterway are cast as a single component. Brazing requires additional time, assembly, and inspection. One of the problems with a brazing connection is that undesirable materials, such as harmful metals may be communicated from the brazing material into the water passing through the connection. Additionally, brazing requires an etching operation to be performed subsequent to the brazing operation.
In an exemplary embodiment of the Prior Art, a faucet for connection to a water supply having a hot water supply and a cold water supply is provided and illustrated in FIG. 1. The faucet comprises: a hot water inlet member having a hot water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the hot water supply, a hot water fluid outlet, and an internal waterway connecting the hot water fluid inlet to the hot water fluid outlet; a cold water inlet member having a cold water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the cold water supply, a cold water fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the cold water fluid inlet to the cold water fluid outlet; a waterway component having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet; at least one coupler configured to maintain the position of the hot water inlet member relative to the waterway component and to maintain the position of the cold water inlet member relative to the waterway component, the at least one coupler connecting at least a first portion of the hot water inlet member, a first portion of the cold water inlet member, and a first portion of the waterway component, the at least one coupler coupling the hot water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the hot water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component and coupling the cold water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the cold water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component. A seal is positioned between the first waterway component and the second waterway component. In a further example, the first waterway component and the second waterway component are housed in an escutcheon and the first user input device extends above the escutcheon.
As shown in FIG. 1, fluid outlet 110 (110B shown) is coupled to a fluid inlet 122 (122A is shown) of a waterway component 100. Fluid outlet is 110 is positioned in portion 104A, 104B of valve bodies 102A, 102B which are illustratively shown as being generally hex-shaped with a flat surface 106 (106B shown) providing fluid outlet 110.
Waterway component 100 includes two generally tubular portions 120A, 120B each having an internal waterway 132A, 132B and each configured to mate with valve bodies 102A, 102B respectively. Portions 120A, 120B are generally shown to be arranged in a V-shaped arrangement. This arrangement is to provide clearance for a drain assembly (not shown) of the faucet. In other embodiments, portions 120A, 120B may be generally co-linear. Further waterway component 100 may be comprised of multiple waterway components which are coupled together.
Each portion 120A, 120B includes a flange 118A, 118B and a seal surface 114A, 114B. A seal 126A, 126B (e.g., an O-ring) is positioned over seal surface 114A, 114B and rests against surface 124 (124A shown) of flanges 118A, 118B. Seals 126A, 126B also rest against a seal surface 112 (112B shown) of valve bodies 102A, 102B when valve bodies 102A, 102B are coupled to waterway component 100. Although the positioning of seal 124A, 124B may hold valve bodies 102A, 102B and waterway component 100 together absent an external force and/or fluid flowing through the respective valve bodies 102A, 102B and waterway component 100, additional coupling is required.
Waterway component 100 further includes an upright portion 130 having a waterway 128. Upright portion 130 includes a reduced portion 132 which is configured to be coupled to a downstream waterway within a spout (not shown). As such, assuming both valves are open, hot water from valve body 102A enters first portion 120A of waterway component 100 and cold water from valve body 102B enters second portion 120B of waterway component 100. The hot water and cold water are combined in waterway component 100 and flow through upright portion 130 into downstream waterway and out of a fluid outlet at a tip of a faucet spout.
However, the use of O-rings and other mechanical connections are possible pathways for leaks. Therefore, there is a need in this industry for the development of an overmolded pathway in which the waterways are connected in a leak-proof manner through the utilization of overmolding technology as herein below described.